Neutral Thinking

According to recent research, the average person has ~6,000 thoughts per day.

For most of us, we think about how negative our thoughts can be.  Negative thoughts lead to negative feelings and negativity leads to poor performance.

In fact, few things are as effective at undermining our performance as negative thinking.

So what do we do?

Many people try to counter negative thinking with intentional positive thinking, only to then beat ourselves up even worse once that first negative thought pops back up.

Here’s the truth - you can’t control your thinking.  You can influence it and add to it, but ultimately, you can’t control it.

But there is a third option - neutral thinking.

This technique was pioneered by Mental Conditioning Coach Trevor Moaward who has worked with some of the biggest athletes and teams in the world.  

In his book It Takes What It Takes, Moaward describes neutral thinking as “a high-performance strategy that emphasizes judgment-free thinking, especially in crises and pressure situations.”

Neutral thinking is about accepting that past events have occurred and are real - there are no fancy mantras around that.  But past events do not dictate how you can choose to think and act in this moment.

You don’t have to be positive or negative - most of the time, being neutral is the best approach.

Neutral thinking is about acknowledging reality without adding a positive or negative spin. By focusing on the present moment and the facts at hand, you can make clear, rational decisions that propel you forward.

To start using neutral thinking, practice observing your thoughts without judgment. When a negative thought arises, simply acknowledge it and refocus on what you can do right now. Remember, the goal is not to eliminate negative thoughts but to balance them with a neutral perspective. Over time, this approach can help you stay grounded, reduce stress, and enhance your performance in any situation.

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